Montalegre Castle

Category: Military Architecture > Castle

District: Vila Real > Montalegre > Montalegre > Montalegre e Padroso

Location

Perched atop a granite hill, Montalegre Castle dominates the village, located in the parish of Montalegre e Padroso, municipality of Montalegre. Its elevated position, almost a thousand meters high, offers sweeping views of the surrounding landscape, encompassing the Gerês mountains to the west and Larouco to the east, and the winding Cávado River to the north. The fortress is situated a few kilometers from the border with Galicia, underscoring its former defensive role and its significant presence in the region.

A Fortress with a Millennia-Old History

Montalegre Castle boasts a profound history, dating back to a prehistoric period, with evidence of an ancient castro (hillfort) on the site. Over the centuries, the site was occupied by various peoples, such as Romans, Suebi, and Visigoths, and was a theater of conflict during the Christian Reconquista. The construction of the medieval castle, as it is known today, began around 1273, during the reign of King Afonso III, in the context of granting the town its charter. Its construction continued with King Dinis and was completed by King Afonso IV in 1331, as attested by an inscription on the south tower.

Subsequently, its strategic importance on the border with Castile led to successive modernization works, especially during the Portuguese Restoration War, which aimed to adapt the structure to the artillery of the time. Classified as a National Monument since 1910, the castle has been the subject of interventions over time to preserve its structure and historical value, and has housed a museum nucleus since the late 20th century.

Architecture and Highlights

Montalegre Castle's structure features an approximately quadrangular plan, with its four robust towers interconnected by walls, defining the central parade ground. The Keep, the most imposing and Gothic in style, rises 27 meters high, dominating the entire complex. It is crowned by machicolated balconies and pentagonal battlements, and its interior rooms, some with stone vaults, reveal a remarkable constructive mastery of the era.

The remaining towers, namely the Hole Tower, the Clock Tower (which received its clock in the 19th century), and the Small Tower, have varied plans, contributing to the castle's uniqueness. It is possible to walk along the adarve, the wall-walk over the battlements, which offers a unique perspective on the defensive architecture and the exterior views. In the center of the parade ground, there is a deep cistern, a vital element for the fortress's subsistence during sieges.

License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt